LL: My Rebirth
by Sleepy Sheep Guardian
Summary: Oneshot AU KR Branch of Loving Legends. There's still a halfbreed, a human going where he shouldn't, and a big problem messing up the fairy tale...but something's not right. Like the world inside of a snowglobe, everything's all shook up.


SS – A bit of forewarning, this is a gift for my readers and it relates to my current concoction, "Loving Legends." If you haven't read it yet, this might not make much sense…though you can go ahead and readthis if you want! _:smile: _

Ta da! It's the um…surprise? Well, I haven't been very quick to update…ever, therefore, the KR relationship (if you can call it that) hasn't gone too far. To remedy that, this erupted from my imagination.

You'll find out what has occurred as the story progresses, so please be patient. In the end, it should make sense. As for timing, after I thought about it, I realized that it could fit just about anywhere in "Loving Legends"'s timeline after Kai and Rei get on good terms (and in the appropriate time of day), so there's no real answer…place wherever you please.There will be some OOC-ness, I tried to smoke it all out, but there's still some here and there. Anyway, let's begin. It's a one-shot kind of thing I suppose, so enjoy.

_LL: My Rebirth  
_ONE – From which reality begins  
Disclaimer: I do not claim rights to the anime that the borrowed characters are from in any manner. This piece was written purely for enjoyment and recompense to readers for my lazy habits.  
**Warning: **This fiction contains shonen ai (boy x boy). If this bothers you, please go back to the main page. Thank you.  
**Note:** All ages of familiar characters correspond to the ones in LL and separations markers remain the same ( **ooo** ). These markers ( --- ) indicate the passage of time in the same scene. There **will** be multiple flashbacks, and I will stop mentioning it in the middle, so there's the warning. Please be attentive.

Kai exhaled slowly, letting his chest rise and fall in a leisurely manner. The passing breeze swept across his face, obscuring his blue-gray bangs and giving him a reason to wrinkle his nose in irritation. Blood crimson eyes grudgingly opened with one or two blinks, allowing him to take in the never ending sky above him and the fussy leaves of the tree mere inches above him.

"…"

He pushed himself into a sitting position, shrugging his shoulders and stretching the kink out of his arms. It was a lazy day, and it seemed perfectly capable of staying that way unless his tiger would decide to come to him later on.

A smile forced its way onto his lips. Ah, his tiger. His eyes lit up at the mere thought of seeing him again. That would definitely pick up his afternoon.

"Kai! Hey you lazy ass, it's about time you woke up!"

Yes, it was bordering on midday now that Kai thought about it. But there had been nothing to do, so what else could be done to pass the time other than a nap?

"You're not even going to _grace_ me with a response?" The teasing voice called out to him. "What, am I not good enough for you?"

Suppressing his laugh, Kai finally looked down from the branch he was sitting on and let his amused eyes meet his friend's. "Sorry, did you say something, Tala?"

Down below, Tala waved away the blue-haired boy's suspicions with a flick of his hand. "Oh no, no," he brushed his long bangs back uselessly and smirked. "It's obvious that you only respond to that tiger of yours, so why would I bother trying to catch even an iota of your attention?" That was his best friend, never one to be left speechless or without a witty quip to any statement thrown at him. Kai guessed it was part of his charisma. The boy looked pretty small from Kai's current bird's-eye-view, but actually Tala was just a touch taller than he was, and one or two months older to boot. His blazing red hair and misty blue eyes contrasted Kai's own features to the point where it was eerie, except that Tala's bangs were much more of a nuisance as they flew every which way.

"Heh," Kai gracefully left the branch he had rested on and landed next to his companion in an instant. "Don't be jealous; green's not a good color on you."

"Yea, yea…" he muttered. "Anyway, I just came to tell you I heard him cross over a while ago."

That caught Kai's attention. "Really?" He never sounded eager when Tala told him things like that, but inside, it was a completely different story. If his heart didn't pick up a faster beat, then his breath threatened to get caught in his throat or he'd feel his knees uncharacteristically shake.

"Maybe a minute or two before I came here…" He gazed off in the opposite direction from where the tiger would normally come from. Kai raised a brow, and followed his lead. The mountains. There, it made sense.

"Tala, please tell me that you aren't going to go look for him again." Kai whispered in a serious tone.

"…"

Kai narrowed his gaze and gripped his shoulders. "Tala."

"…"

It was never any use. Whenever the redhead decided to go looking for him, even he couldn't stop him. All he could do was warn him. "I know it hurts, but it's not safe for you to go off on your own." He pulled the boy closer, cupping his ear to make sure the other listened to him. "I'd rather you wait for me to go with you, but since that's not an option…" he closed his eyes. "Just be careful. Remember, he's…not the same anymore. Not since--"

"I know."

"…Just don't do anything stupid, ok?"

Firmly nodding his head, Tala mumbled a, 'ok' and backed away from the blue-haired boy. "I'll try to get back before your tiger leaves." With that, he began walking away. Kai shook his head. The last time Tala went to look for Bryan on his own, he came back with three slashes on his right arm and a few stray marks and bruises on his face. And all the while when Kai was bandaging him up, the redhead never spoke or even looked at him. It killed the younger boy at times, but there was little he could do. No matter what the circumstances, Bryan was still Tala's close friend. With or without Kai's help, the blue-eyed boy would search.

"Tala…"

A minute of reflection passed before the older boy vanished from sight, and Kai had turned to head off in the other direction. Hopefully he'd come back in stable condition. The blue-haired boy didn't want his tiger to see Tala like that. Speaking of which, the boy should be approaching soon enough. Yes, the footsteps weren't too far away now that he listened for them. It was a soft padding sound, as he wasn't too heavy to make a loud entrance. Another breeze swept the area, and Kai caught that familiar scent. The speed of his stride noticeable increased. His eyes wandered, searching. He yearned to see him…to hold him…again.

"…Kai?"

It was a melodious sound, one that Kai would never forget. And this time it came…from his left.

"Kai?"

Shifting his footing, he changed direction and jogged lightly, dodging bushes, trees, and any other objects that wished to get in his way.

"Are you there? Kai?"

He swallowed. Yes, it was often during times like these that his voice chose to give out on him. Kai figured it to be a play on his rampant, newfound emotions. There, he turned another tree, and…and…the earth violently shook. '! Oh no, not now.'

"…Kai!" As soon as he rounded the trunk, he only managed to see the ground split and swallow his tiger.

"Not again!" The blue-haired boy kicked off of the ground and hurried to him. The tremor had been great…maybe too great…

…

"…Are you all right?"

The boy, his tiger, slowly opened his eyes, the brilliant golden color warming Kai's person. The boy had his arms wrapped securely around the older's torso, his head resting again his shoulder. Gazing up at his savior, he smiled. "Mm…I found you."

Pulling him closer so that the tremor's effects wouldn't hit them, Kai managed a smirk. "Hn." He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against the other's forehead. "And here I thought you weren't going to make this a habit, Rei."

"Hey, don't tell me you don't enjoy it."

"Nn." He looked up. He had been lax this time. They were quite a way from the opening. "You can make it up to me once I get us out of here."

Rei's smile faded. "Get us out…?" Glancing up, he shook his head. "It's too far." He pushed against Kai's hold. "Forget it. I can get myself out as soon as the quake stops."

The blue-haired boy kept his grip firm, exhaling with a huff. "Like you could actually make it up that far." He rolled his shoulders back, stretching. "Just hold on, it'll be over in a minute."

"…" There probably wasn't much he could do; after all, Kai did have the upper hand at the moment. And since the tremor didn't show any signs of yielding, what else could be done? Settling against the blue-haired boy, he brushed his lips across the other's exposed neck.

"It'll be over soon." Earning another nip, Kai figured he'd better get them out before they fell too deep. He steadied his breath, welcoming the calm wash of numbness in his back, and then the searing sensation as his shoulder blades seemed to crack apart, ripping through confining flesh before finally exploding – pain taking the form of two blood-red (literally) streamline needle-like protrusions. Still, the throbbing stung his side, racing through his person so much that it forced him to reconsider breathing, just so that the pain would subside.

"…" Rei stayed unmoving, his eyes closed. He had seen this happen too many times (many for his own sake), and he knew that all he could do to help was keep quiet.

'The worst is over. The worst is over…' A silent mantra reeling through Kai's mind, forcing him to concentrate and finish what he started. But the rest was cake in comparison. With a small urge, a torrent of feathers spilled into place, using the protrusions as a guide and a borderline. Soon enough, everything was in place, and his wings were exposed.

Carefully arching his back, Kai took a deep breath and spread his wings, allowing them to do the work. The vibrations from his motions burned, but he didn't care. He pressed on, and shot out of the crack within a heartbeat, rising higher than necessary before extending the heavenly appendages to their full extent and cascading down to the ground. Few crimson feathers, if any, were lost in the process, showering the two as they landed back on the earth. Wings stuttered before they folded behind him in an orderly fashion as he set the boy down, keeping his hold on his waist all the while.

Upon gaining his footing, Rei gently stroked Kai's back, careful not to strike the base of his wings too harshly. He could feel the blazing heat that nestled there, knowing that with each flap, the ache shot through the half-breed's body like liquid fire. A frown crossed his lips. "Are you ok?" He asked; his voice laced with a hint of guilt.

Bringing the boy close to him once again, Kai brought his hands to the boy's face and traced his features with a smile. "Stop worrying about me." He knew that the younger boy wouldn't. Already he could feel that the massaging had ceased and instead the boy's hands had clutched sections of his lose shirt in concern. He was always like this when he decided to fly. "Rei," He slipped his hands down to the raven-haired youth's neck and tilted his face up. "I chose to do it. Just like I always choose to do it." Fingers wandered to the base of his neck, holding him steadily as the space between them began to disappear. "And as long as you keep coming back, I will gladly take this pain to be able to do this."

Rei's eyes shown with acceptance and shy joy before they closed and he yielded his body to the other.

**ooo**

_There was a rustle of blankets, and a frustrated moan before the person turned over again. Silence reigned for a moment's breath before the struggle began again. Beads of sweat fell to the pillow under him and his breathing continued with its erratic pace. Comforting sleep wasn't welcomed there tonight. Still, the occupant didn't wake. It wasn't time to wake up just yet…_

**ooo**

"Where's Tala?"

"Where do you think he is?"

"…Oh, he left again?" A quiet response answered him. "Why didn't you go with him?" Rei asked. Though he had never seen it, he knew that often Tala came back hurt whenever he went off to search on his own.

"You know him. Even though he knows he'll get hurt, he insists on going off by himself." He tightened his hold over Rei's chest. "It's his way. He feels guilty, so he thinks that it's his job."

He turned his head slightly so that he could see Kai's face. "But…it's not his fault."

The older boy sighed. "I know."

The two had retired to a more secluded area of the forest, away from the open areas where tremors were more likely to occur. Now they relaxed, with Kai sitting against a sturdy Redwood's trunk and Rei leaning against him, his head using Kai's shoulder as his personal pillow. Strong arms kept him from leaving, not that the boy actually would, and the raven-haired boy absentmindedly drew shapes over the tanned skin.

"How long ago did he leave?"

"Hn, just a few minutes before I—I mean, until _you_ found me." He corrected himself with a smirk. "You'll see him. He promised to come back before you left."

"That's good. I haven't seen him in a while."

Kai caught one of the boy's wandering hands and held it loosely. "That's right." He realized. "Actually, you haven't been _here_ in general, in a long time."

Rei nodded sheepishly. "Well, it's not like I can come over everyday or whatnot. If I did, it'd be hard to explain to Max and the Tyson and the others where I kept disappearing to. Especially if I want to keep this place a secret, remember?"

Of course he was referring to the first day he came here and he and Tala had almost made him take a blood oath not to release this information to anyone.

**ooo**

**Backtracking…**

"HEY! I am not child, you can't just restrain me like this without explaining anything to me!" Rei complained as he wriggled against the hold Tala had on him.

"Believe me, in comparison, you _are_ a child. And your behavior can vouch for that." He tightened the grasp he had on both of Rei's wrists. "Why did you follow me here! You had no right!"

"No right! This forest doesn't belong to you! If I want to run through a waterfall, crawl through a little rock tunnel, climb up a tree, sprint across a cliff's ledge and then jump into this secluded area you call home, then I have the right to!" He ran again, trying to break the grip. Unfortunately for him, Tala was too fast.

"That's right! It's _my_ home! Isn't it enough that you already saw me! Damn, you humans are infuriating!"

Tala dragged him back to their original spot, close to a tree where the shade was. He was holding the other boy's wrists firmly behind him, arms outstretched in an effort to keep the distance. With two arms length of space between them, Rei couldn't really hit Tala. And with his arms pulled back behind him like that, struggles took their toll on his shoulders. If he turned to try and get closer, the redhead would run the opposite direction. If Rei tried to run back into him, Tala would simply push against their arms, which really strained the raven-haired youth's elbows.

…This sucked.

Rei berated himself for letting his guard down in the first place. What could he do now? Could this…guy (for lack of a better word) keep him in this compromising position forever? He sat down dejectedly. Feeling his hands touch the ground, he guessed that the redhead had done the same.

"…Do you plan on keeping me here?"

"Yea right. Like I'm going to let you stay here…" he sighed. "I just need to think of a plan and then I can let you go."

Rei huffed. At least there was a festival today. That way, Tyson and the others wouldn't notice his disappearance for a while. 'Maybe it wasn't such a good idea following this guy here.' He slouched uncharacteristically. 'I couldn't just overlook the fact that this guy had the tail and ears of a wolf. It's a festival! Why couldn't I fool myself into thinking that it was a costume!' Rei glanced over his shoulder and caught himself staring directly into the other's icy blue eyes.

"What?"

Snapping back around, Rei shrugged to the best of his ability. "Nothing." No, that wouldn't do. At this rate, he wouldn't get anywhere. "Actually," his tone lessened. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"…What?"

"I'm sorry. You were right. I didn't have any right following you here. I guess I was just a little curious. I mean, you…something like…" he tried to rephrase it so that it wouldn't appear demeaning. "You're unusual. I don't see a person like you everyday."

"Don't lump me in with an everyday person, human--"

"Rei." He interjected.

"…Rei. I'm not a person like you. So don't assume that I am."

"Well, what can I assume? I can barely see you."

"Don't assume at all. It's not becoming." He muttered sarcastically. "I'm a half-breed. That's all you need to know."

Rei blinked. "Half…breed." The word hesitated on his tongue. He had never heard it before, let alone say it. "Half human…half wolf?" He surmised.

"I guess you aren't a stupid human."

The raven-haired boy fought back the urge to harshly correct him. If he wanted to get out, he'd have to be nice. "Do you have a name?"

"Of course I do."

"What is it?"

"I'm not telling you." He snorted.

"Then how am I supposed to address you?"

"You don't. This little conversation is over."

Rei attempted to turn around. "Wait, but I want to--"

"TALA!"

Upon hearing the new voice, Tala shot up, accidentally stumbling since he also had to pull Rei up in the process. "Damn it." He murmured under his breath.

"Tala…" Rei whispered. He wasn't sure if the redhead was angry because his name had been revealed, or this new person had authority over him.

Footsteps approached and Rei looked up. The figure came from the opposite side, shrouded in the forests' foliage. From his voice, it was a male, and a tall one probably. His quick, long strides eventually brought him into view. He was right; this person was an inch or two above his own height. His hair was an unusual two shades of blue, and piercing mahogany eyes were narrowed suspiciously toward their direction. Two crimson streaks marked both of his cheeks, and a red feather hung around his neck. (1) A simple dark colored short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants adorned him and that was the menacing presence.

"Tala," he began in a low tone, as he walked, no, advanced towards them in an imposing manner. He passed Rei with no more than a glance, and crossed his arms when he finally approached the redhead. "Care to explain your apparent escapade and the…atrocity that you brought with you?"

Now, Rei could stand with being called stupid (barely anyway), but an atrocity! Who was this guy!

"What is your problem!" Rei exclaimed as he moved to attack this newcomer in any way possible.

"Hold on!" Tala changed direction and yanked the boy back. He dug his feet into the ground to keep them both still.

"Both of you, what is your deal! I haven't done anything to either of you, so what gives you the right to label me as an atrocity!"

The blue-haired boy hadn't even flinched during the entire happening. He instead, leaned closer to Rei and studied him. "I can't believe you actually let a human follow you here, Tala." Lifting his head, he turned his glare on his companion. "You forgot to close the gate behind you, again, ne?"

"Shut up--!"

Tired with being ignored, Rei finally mustered enough the strength to free himself. He took a strong step forward, twisted his arms a bit, and used his body's momentum and weight to effectively throw Tala over him and nearly on top of the other half-breed. Out of sheer surprise, Tala let go of Rei's wrists, and landed sloppily on his knees and elbows.

He shook his head and growled at the human. "Damn it! What are you trying to accomplish, Rei!"

'Rei…' The blue-haired boy eyed Rei, who had slumped to the ground from exhaustion. He had obviously miscalculated Tala's weight and the necessary force needed to pull off what he had done. Still, it was enough to make him give the human some credit.

"…M-My wrists and arms were beginning to hurt from all that dragging and pulling…" Pushing himself up, Rei managed a sitting position. "Now this is much better." He massaged his hands, glowering at the red marks that remained from Tala's grip.

"For goodness sake…" the redhead huffed. He then turned to his friend. "And I didn't bring him along for this fun, ok? He followed me from the festival."

"…Which brings up the question, why were _you_ even _at_ the festival, Tala?"

He brought up his hands in defense. "You expected me to pass that up? It's about the only good thing that humans do. Besides, don't tell me you weren't there either, Kai. I believe I saw you…"

The rest of Tala's explanation fell short of Rei's ears. 'Kai.' Once that name had registered in his mind, and he had associated it with the blue-haired boy's person, Rei wasn't interested in anything else, for the time being. It was strange. He knew that Kai wasn't human – otherwise Tala wouldn't be so…amiable with him – but aside from the unique markings on his face, he didn't look like a half-breed. But…he must have been one, right?

**ooo**

_The turning stopped. The figure was finally at rest. A gust blew through the crack of his door. It swept his face, cooling the once troubled brow. This time when he shifted, it was only to get into a more comfortable position. All of his previous tossing had dishelved him and the bed, so now everything was strewn about. It didn't seem to be important though. He was calm. _

**ooo**

Before he knew it, Kai was standing right in front of him, towering like the mountains that surrounded the secluded area. Rei suppressed a gasp and brought himself to standing position. He absentmindedly ran a hand through the tail of his hair. In a hurry to get to the festival that morning, he had only tied it into a ponytail.

Kai took in the figure before him. From top to bottom, silky raven-colored hair to hastily tied shoes; the details were taken in and remembered. Up until that point, he had never really looked at a human. They weren't too different, except for some blatantly obvious features (especially in Tala's case). It was interesting; Rei was interesting.

"Mm…" Rudely broken from his assessing, Kai's mere gaze urged him to continue. "You are a half-breed too, right?"

The blue-haired boy glanced at Tala. "You told him?" It was more of an incredulous statement, than it was a question.

"It was the only way to make him stop asking." He answered with a slight shrug.

"Uh…" Drawing attention back to his question, Rei persisted. "What are you half of?"

Surprising himself, Kai almost found himself answering. Thankfully, he caught himself and shook his head. "It's none of your concern." Taking a strong grip on his forearm, Kai began to forcefully drag Rei away from their spot and towards the exit.

"Oh come on! I _am_ capable of walking on my own, you know!" He found his footing and managed to keep in pace with the other. "Where are we going!"

"Out. We're leaving. Well, actually, _you_ are leaving."

"What! Why! Except for the incident with Tala, I haven't done anything!"

Tala caught up and took Rei's other arm. "It has nothing to do with what you have or haven't done. You simply can't be here."

"Why?"

Kai's stride increased at the question, causing the raven-haired boy to stumble. "Don't ask anymore. Your presence here is not welcomed."

In no more than one minute all three of them were at the base of the waterfall. This was the entrance Rei had chased Tala through no more than an hour ago.

"Tala, open the gate."

Releasing the boy's arm, the redhead proceeded to the falls. Wading into the shallow lake it poured into, he slipped past the cascade and began revealing a door to the other side. And while Rei would have loved to see how it worked, he was quickly pulled aside.

"Wha--!" The pressure that was on his arm disappeared, but now there was a hand covering his mouth and another against his back, preventing his escape.

"Don't struggle, I just don't want you to interrupt me while I tell you something." Kai turned to check on Tala; he wasn't watching. Good. He faced Rei again. "You'll probably want to come back, but under no circumstances can you. For one thing, the gate will be sealed. Also…it's not your place. Humans don't need to set foot in the home you've seen…"

Rei blinked. 'It's so warm…it's almost hot…' he tried to concentrate on what Kai was saying, but it wasn't working. 'It's not that humid today, so why is it getting…so hot…' he shook his head and closed his eyes.

A demanding voice didn't allow him to ignore the conversation. "Are you listening to me?" He dropped his hand from the boy's mouth to allow him the chance to answer.

Rei's eyes snapped open and he nodded. "Yea, but…it's really…"

Kai raised a brow. "Really what?"

"Really…hot…" he gasped.

"Hn." The blue-haired boy let go of him and stepped back. "You should have said so earlier."

Once his presence had faded, the air felt a lot cooler. It felt normal. He lifted a hand to his forehead and laughed. "Wow…ok, it must have been me." Actually, he felt embarrassed.

"No, it wasn't you." Kai whispered. "But that's beside the point. Were you listening to me?" He asked in a serious manner.

"…Yea."

"Don't come back here. It's…not safe."

Rei wondered about it. 'Not safe? Could there be other half-breeds? Maybe they aren't safe.'

"Kai, let's go already. I opened the gate!"

"Hn." He took Rei's hand. "Come on."

The raven-haired boy shivered. There it was again, that heat. But where was it coming from? He didn't have much time to think about it, as he fell into the lake clumsily and was all but thrown into the other side.

Tala turned to Kai. "Wait a minute, that's it!" Rei looked up as he picked himself up from the lake's bottom. "Aren't we going to make him take a blood oath or something? Surely you aren't trusting that boy to never come back again just because you told him to." He reasoned.

"…"

"Come on, Kai! This isn't just our safety you know, it's--"

"I know, Tala," he countered. "But I believe Rei knows not to step into dangerous territory again, right?"

That was directed to the boy. "Don't worry," he stood up and shook off some of the water from his hair. "I won't tell anyone either." Though he seemed more preoccupied with getting himself dry, he was sincere. Something in Kai's voice told him that his being there wasn't just an intrusion in their home, but it was dangerous for him, too.

"There you go, Tala. Besides, if you remember to lock up, there will never be a problem, understand?"

Tala scoffed at him. "It's not like you always remember to close the gate either." He began to do just that. "I better not find you around this area period, got it Rei?"

"Right." Rei responded with a bit of a chuckle. He could see that the waterfall was indeed closing in on itself, sealing off the half-breeds' home from sight. Though, before he turned away, the golden-eyed boy could see crimson orbs staring at him, just gazing into him until the doorway was completely closed.

**ooo**

**Presently…**

Rei smiled at the memory. Of course, he had gone against Kai's warning and returned to their home about a week later, but that was out of necessity, not wonder or curiosity.

"He's coming."

Leaving his train of thought, the younger boy turned to look at the half-breed. "What?"

Kai clarified as he rested his head against the tree trunk. "Tala's coming. I can sense him."

Rei sat up and looked around. "Really?"

"No. Actually, I saw him creeping up behind us a little while ago so I know that he's just waiting in the bush over there."

"Damn it, Kai." Tala moaned as he jumped out of the adjacent shrubbery and made his way over to the two.

Rei smiled as the redhead sat next to him. "Hey Tala. I haven't seen you in a while."

Crystalline eyes softened. "Same here, tiger." His gaze shifted from him and his companion. "I see Kai has welcomed you back."

A faint blush danced across the boy's face. "Well,"

"You don't have to ruin our fun just because you're jealous, Tala." Kai mumbled. It looked like he was sleeping the way he was leaning against the tree like that, but the redhead knew better.

"Me, jealous? … Of you!" He broke into fits of laughter. "P-Please…such things are near impossible to accomplish."

"So is your mission to retrieve Bry—ow!" Kai bolted up and met Rei's accusing glare. The boy had hit him rather hard for his comment.

"It's all right, Rei. I'm ok with it. Though, if you'd like to continue hitting him, be my guest." He fell back onto the grass, his ears tickled from the sensation. "I'll get him back eventually, that's a promise."

True, it had been a few months since Bryan had been taken away, but Tala knew it was only a matter of time before he was found. They had been close friends, almost as close as he and Kai were. No matter what, the redhead would find him…

**ooo**

**Let's go back…**

"Bryan, hurry up!" Tala ran ahead, cutting past trees and such that stood in his way. "You are so slow!"

"Take that back, you stupid dog!" A voice called out, though it didn't sound too close.

"Why don't you try and catch me and then make me, pigeon!"

The two weren't really racing, but it was important that neither fall too far behind. They had strayed into the darker part of the woods, and now they were paying for it.

"Bryan!" Tala stopped as he entered middle ground and scanned the skies. 'Where is he!' This area wasn't exactly safe, but it was better than the previous area. At least there was light here. "Bryan!" Tala's ears twitched. He could hear it, the Controlled were coming. "Damn it Bryan, where are you!"

"Tag!"

A push on his shoulder caused Tala to stumble, but he caught himself in time to turn and face the offender with an icy glare. "BRYAN!"

"…I got you." He state a-matter-of-factly.

"It's not funny! Where were you! I thought that the Controlled had gotten you, you idiot!"

The other boy landed. "I thought you would have given me a little more credit than that, Tala. I'm better than those purple-eyed freaks." His pale, blue-grey wings folded behind him. They were considerably smaller than Kai's, but also a lot sleeker and sharper. They were suited for blitzkrieg fighting, unlike Kai's, which were purely for flight and creating fire. (2)

"What a time for you to get cocky," Tala mumbled. "Look, let's just get back into our territory before they catch up to us, ok? I'm sure Kai's ready to either break my eardrums with reprimand, or glare me to death." He began walking away, with Bryan in toe.

"Honestly, I don't know when he became our keeper. I mean, you are older than him, and he's only a month above me."

"How should I know? He's _Kai_. Rules _bow_ to him." He stated sardonically.

The two shared a laugh. It was always this way when Kai wasn't there to join in on the fun. Well, he was never too ardent about it, but they both knew that the blue-haired boy enjoyed their company.

"…"

Bryan stopped. "Do you sense them, too Tala?" A curt nod. Yes, that was why he had stopped. " I doubt we can make it back."

"They're surrounding us."

"Think Kai'll hear us if we call him?" He suggested.

"Doubt it." Tala turned around and stood behind his companion, facing the opposite direction. "We'll just have to handle this ourselves."

Bryan's wings spread. "And slowly move towards our ground, am I right?"

"You do know that it's sort of eerie when you know things that I'm going to say, right?"

He smirked. "It's fun making you confused."

With the presence of so many Controlled, the air grew murky, and the light that shined over the middle ground dissipated. Pairs of poisonous violet eyes shone around them. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Try not to get so cocky now, will you?" Tala asked teasingly.

"Me, cocky? I believe you're calling the kettle black."

It seemed like it was routine, like this sort of encounter happened everyday…and yet, the outcome was one that neither even thought possible.

**ooo**

_As soon as gust lessened to a breeze, the stirring began again. The figure turned where he was, tangling himself in the sheets even further. At this rate, he'd be exhausted when he woke; however, nothing more could be done. There was no one there to wake him, so he had to endure whatever this moment was. It caused him to struggle, to sweat, and worst of all, it caused him to think. Think of possibilities that could have happened, and of barriers that never should have gotten in the way. _

**ooo**

"Tala! Bryan!" Kai dived through the canopy and into the mêlée that was taking place. He had seen the explosions of ice and dust from his place in their territory and raced over as fast as he could. It wasn't that this was unusual, but he was always a bit fearful of leaving those two by themselves.

"Kai!" Tala. Kai had just spotted him off to the side; the redhead had just blown away five or six Controlled with a wave of ice. It seemed like he was handling things. Still, he landed beside him.

"What have you two gotten yourselves into this--"

"Bryan!"

"What?"

"Bryan! Did you see him when you were up there!"

He blinked. Come to think of it, he _hadn't _seen the other winged-fighter while he was surveying the fight. In fact, the main brawl was around Tala. "No. No I didn't – hey! Tala, where are you going!"

"He got injured! But I was hoping he had gotten away!"

Taking flight, Kai followed him, widening their path with a few fireballs and streams of ember. "What do you mean he got injured! Was he being careless again?"

"I told him not to be cocky…why did I…argh!" Four rather large Controlled appeared in front of them, taking the forms of lions. "Get out of my way!" Slamming his hand to the ground, eruptions of water trapped and then froze them. And while it was a great attack, Kai now had to carry them both _over_ it.

"Calm down, Tala." He held the other's hands carefully. "Don't you dare get in over your head."

"It's not my fault! It's that idiot's!" Tala wanted to keep yelling at him, but he knew it was also his fault for not keeping a closer eye on him.

"Fine, I'll punish him first and then you if it'll make you feel better. Just keep that temper down." Kai slowly descended, prepared to let go of the other until a violent gust caught his wings and lifted them both backwards. They collided with the four icicles and landed in a confused heap.

"What was that?" Kai demanded as he rubbed his now aching head.

"…"

"Tala?" The redhead was staring at something, his eyes wide and his mouth barely open, failing to say what he wanted to. "What is it?" Another devastating gale pressed them against the ice with so much force that they shattered through it.

Kai picked himself up and growled. "What is causing that!" The shards of ice melted off of him from his frustration.

"…Bryan."

"What!"

Tala's ears fell against him; he turned his head away, ashamed and angry at what was before him. "…They took him."

By the time Kai's gaze had landed on what was ahead of him, he had understood as well. The half-breed in his line of vision, though same in body, was not their friend in spirit. His arm had a nice gash, but other than that, he was no different. The hair, the wings, the clothes, it was him…but the eyes were not. Lavender was washed over with a simmering violet, stinging with hated obedience and devoid of all other feeling.

Kai too, looked away. He couldn't bear to see yet another Controlled. He quickly made his way to Tala, grabbing him around the middle, and getting airborne as fast as he could. It wasn't worth it. He had to get them out of there before either of them fell to the Controlled as well.

However, Bryan wasn't going to let them get away so easily. He joined them in the air, using his speed to strike Kai three or four times before being pushed away by sheer force.

"Damn it Bryan, I don't want to hurt you!"

Of course, the words fell deaf to his ears. Bryan wasn't even there anymore. But that didn't stop an answer from coming. "Well Kai, it seems like I have gotten quite a prize this time."

The chilling voice nearly made the blue-haired boy lose his altitude then and there. "…L-Let him go! Do you hear me!"

"I hear you, but Bryan doesn't. I don't think he wants to go back." The sound was like nails on a chalkboard to Kai's ears. So rancid, so vile, it was poison's voice. "Don't worry, Tala will be next. And then I'll have both of them come for you last."

To his knowledge or not, Kai held the redhead closer. "…You're not taking Tala. He's too strong to fall to your temptations!"

"So that means that Bryan is weak?"

"…No! He was injured!"

"Provide as many excuses as you wish, I will gladly counter them all." Kai's words failed him. "Well then, maybe I should just have this vessel take the wolf away from you now."

"Stop controlling him!" He managed before the attacks came. There was little he could do except dodge since he was holding Tala. And the redhead was in no condition to fight for him…

"Give up, running around won't get you anywhere."

'He's right. Bryan's too fast, especially as a Controlled. And if Tala won't attack…' He made a dive, getting ready for his only option.

"Your advantage of flight won't help you now that I have a vessel who can also take to the skies! Give it up, Kai." Bryan headed straight towards them, ready to strike them down.

'I'm sorry, Bryan.' Kai pulled out abruptly and folded his wings around him, gradually pulling them apart until a sphere of fire surrounded him.

"Not that again!" Unfortunately, Bryan's smaller wings couldn't pull him out of the dive _and _get him away fast enough, so he was viciously burned several times over. "Get away! Fly faster vessel – Aarh!"

Kai took a breath; he knew it was all right now. It was much harder to send power to a wounded vessel (and quite useless), so Bryan would have to retreat for now. And even if he stayed, the flame barrier would hold for as long as he had energy, and he had enough.

"I suppose I'll have to come back for Tala later."

"You'll never get Tala or me, and your hold over Bryan won't last either!"

"We'll see, Kai. We'll see. Go on and rest easy for now, but I'd be careful if I were you, this familiar face may show up one day to bring you back to me." He turned around. "Good bye for now, my grandson." With that, the form began to fly away, slowly but surely.

Suppressing the urge to go after him, Kai dissolved the barrier and sighed. It wouldn't do any good to go after him in this state.

"…Kai…"

"It's over for now, Tala." He dropped a little before heading back home. "Don't worry about it."

"…He's gone isn't he?"

"…" The blue-haired boy didn't dare look at him as he answered. "Yes."

Biting back tears, Tala nodded. The rest of the trip back was a solemn one.

**ooo**

"Tala?" Rei leaned far enough of out Kai's hold to glance at the redhead. "Hey, you asleep?"

"Ne?" Shallow blue eyes opened lazily. "What? What happened?"

The raven-haired boy smiled. "Nothing. I thought you were sleeping is all. Was your search that exhausting?"

He shook his head. "No, I just felt like…" his sentence drifted off. It didn't need to be finished. "Well, I'll try again tomorrow. I don't feel like going out again later."

"Thank God." Kai muttered. "I hate it when you go off."

"Oh yea? Why's that?" Tala propped himself up on his elbows, a hint of tease in his voice. "Do you worry about me, Kai?"

"Hn. I worry about what you'll bring back with you."

Rolling his eyes, the half-wolf let his elbows slide out under him and allowed a fall. "I don't hear you complaining about me bringing Rei back…"

"He's right." Rei ran his hand over Kai's arms. "What about me? Tala did bring me in here…indirectly."

Keeping his eyes closed, Kai grasped Rei's hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly. "…I'm still deciding."

While Tala laughed freely, the raven-haired youth snatched his hand away and used it to hit the older boy rather roughly on the shoulder.

**ooo**

Rei continued to lead them into the forest, deeper, into the foliage where there were a myriad of greens and the sky almost disappeared beyond the leaves and branches.

"I don't think Tyson will be able to find us here."

"Really? I hope we'll be able to find our way _out_ of here! Rei, where are we?"

Rei let go of Max's hand and smiled. "I've got no clue."

"We're going to die here!" He cried half seriously, half playfully before spinning around and falling to the soft ground. Childish laughs echoed throughout the area.

"Maxie! You're going to give us away if you keep that up!" Rei chided. "And here I thought we were trying to _hide_ from Tyson."

"We are! I promise…I'll stop now." He took a moment to quiet himself down, and then took out the hat he had been hiding in his cargo pocket. "I can't believe he got so upset just because we took his hat."

"Well, you know Tyson," Rei insisted. "It's not _just_ a hat. It's the principle of the matter." He imitated in a sarcastic tone.

The blond suppressed another laugh. "I'm surprised he knew about principles and stuff."

Rei stretched and shrugged. "I bet Kenny told him that counter." He stared up into the canopy. It was a long way up.

"Seriously though, you do know where we are, right Rei?" Max stood up. "Rei?"

"Um…I think so. I've…sort of been here before."

"Sort of? How can you sort of be here before?" He walked around, taking a look around himself. Trees and even more trees surrounded them. It was like looking at a three-panel mirror. There was a waterfall a little to the left, but other than that… "Either you were here, or you weren't he-oww!"

"Max?"

"Augh! Damn humans."

"What?" Rei recognized that voice. He definitely recognized it. "T-Tala!"

The redhead looked up and sighed. "Oh, it's you, Rei." Then he saw whom he had crashed into. "And…Rei's friend."

"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!"

"And there's another human. Man, I really picked the wrong day to cross over." He gently pushed the blond off of him, got up and made a break for it. Apparently someone was after him.

"WAIT! HEY!"

As Rei helped Max up, they looked over and saw it was Tyson who was running towards them. "Tyson?" Max called out tentatively.

"T-That guy! Did you see him!"

'Oh great.' Rei had to hush Tyson's suspicions. "Yea, he bumped into Max and then sped off. What about him?"

The blue-haired boy stopped just short of them and caught his breath before continuing, though he tried to say it anyway. "H-He had a t-tail! And ears…"

"A tail, and ears?" Rei repeated in mock-surprise. "You've got to be kidding me!" His pseudo-laugh sounded like a clown's cry, but it was enough.

Tyson gasped. "What! You didn't…how could you not…"

"Rei!" Max pulled on his shirt.

"What?"

"The hat!" He whispered urgently. "I lost the hat!"

Rei blinked, and then his golden eyes widened in realization. "Tala must have taken it!" Cursing under his breath, he turned to the direction that the redhead hurried off in and sprinted away.

"Hey, Rei!" Max called. "Wait!"

"Stay there you guys! Whatever you do, just stay there! I'll be back!" He didn't give them much choice; after all, going after Rei might get them lost even further in the woods. And if they lost track of him, they'd be in real trouble. Besides, Max had enough on his hands at the moment…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST MY HAT!"

--

'Mm…where did he go?' Rei looked around. Tala hadn't gone through the waterfall like he had expected. But he did disappear around this area, that much he was sure of. It wasn't even close to the falls. He was near the rockier side of the mountain, where landslides were frequent and quite dangerous. Not many people came close to this area under any circumstances.

'There must be an entrance around here.' Studying the rocks, Rei noticed there was a small hole among the middle area. He supposed someone around Tala's size could fit through it…if he was lucky.

"Well, if there's no other choice…" Testing the boulder, Rei grasped the closet rock and began pulling himself up.

--

"There's always another choice. There's _always_ another choice!" He muttered. The climb was a bit more exerting than he originally thought, not to mention he had slipped two or three times because of loose rocks.

"This had better be the way." The hole was doable; he'd just have to be careful not to get scratched up too badly.

It was a bit tight, and halfway through, he began to wonder if Tala would even be able to fit. The redhead was a bit taller and bigger than he was. 'Maybe he didn't come this way. But then…where will this take me?'

As soon as the opening got wider, Rei stood up and rubbed his back, which had gotten a scrape or two in the process. Turns out this could be the way. He was in a cave now, but the exit was in clear view. He was probably high up, so even if he wasn't in the same place he was the first time he followed Tala, at least he'd be in prime position to look.

He sprinted towards the end, unaware that his echoing steps were disturbing the peace of the area.

GRMMPH

His pace slowed back to a hesitant walk. He didn't have to be smart to know that that didn't sound like a friendly animal. "…Hello?"

GRR GRRMPH

He backed away slowly, heading towards the opening with cautious steps.

GRRMMPHH

"Hello?" His voice didn't seem to compare to what was stalking towards him. It nearly took up the entire cave tunnel; it's gargantuan forefeet causing the floor to shake with each step it took. "I didn't mean to intrude!"

The creature's head slowly came into view; first it's razor beak, then its feathered head. Dark, yellow eyes rolled into Rei's line of vision, its paralyzing gaze eyeing the boy's every step until they were out of the cave's confines and out on the ledge. Now he could see the entire entity. Part eagle, part lion, a mixed breed, a very irritated griffin.

"This definitely wasn't the best way." He mumbled uselessly as he ran out of room and was between a mythical creature, and a long, long drop…

GGGRRRMMPH!

Rei covered his ears at the loud roar, and tried to brace himself as the beast's mighty wings began swirling the air around them and sending it towards him with a heavy blow. "Aagh!" Before he even had time to grab onto the ledge, the raven-haired boy was sent hurtling off of the ridge, and into the air. "Uuh…" The wind whizzed past his ears, and the sky suddenly seemed to be going further and further away, as his limp body plummeted towards the earth.

'There must be another way…why didn't I look for another way!' It wouldn't be too long now; the pressure from the fall was enough to send him away on impact. …And it was all for a hat! How could he have been so careless! So stupid! So…

"Augh!" Curiously enough, the impact wasn't so bad. Either that, or it had killed him from sheer force and now it felt like nothing. After all…he was going up now. Yes…the sky was getting closer and closer… "…Am I…flying?" He whispered to himself.

A calm voice responded. "You're half right."

Perhaps if he wasn't so far gone, Rei might have been a little more surprised. "I am?" Someone had caught him. And now he was safe in someone's arms…someone… "Kai?"

Crimson eyes met Rei's golden ones briefly before shifting. "Looks like you angered a griffon." He spotted the creature, and watched as it gave one last roar, before retreating to its slumber. "Don't worry about it, you're fine now."

"O-h…kay…" His long drop made it quite difficult to breathe, and now his body was forcing him to rest, lest he faint from lack of sufficient amount of oxygen.

Kai wasn't surprised as the boy nodded off, but he was curious as to how he got here, and then manage to turn up in a griffin's den no less. However, he did know where he could get some answers from…"Tala." Keeping a steady grip on Rei, he folded his wings, letting himself drop a ways before spreading them again and taking off.

--

"Tell me Tala, why did this boy end up here _again_?"

"How should I know?"

"He must have followed you since you came back not too long ago and I've been here all day."

"Listen, I'll admit I did run into him and his friend before, but that doesn't mean--"

"You ran into him, _and_ his friend? You let another human see you!"

"Well…it was unavoidable…"

Rei breathed deeply, testing his body by turning his head and balling up his hand. He wasn't paralyzed, that had to be a good thing. His eyes opened slowly. "Nn." There it was again, the blue sky. This time, it was very far away, the normal distance. For that, Rei was quite thankful. 'Oh wait…before had Kai really caught me? Had he been…flying?'

He could hear arguing voices near him, and figured them to belong to Kai and Tala. And though it pained him to do so, he managed to sit up and turn towards them.

"I don't know why he came after me, he just did! Or maybe he went off on his own. I don't know!"

Kai had his arms crossed. "You must have done something. Rei promised he wouldn't come back."

Rei's eyes widened. It had been Kai. There, protruding from his back was a pair of blood-red wings. "…Wow…"

Tala's ears twitched and he turned to see that the boy was already awake and steadily listening to their conversation. "Well speak of the devil."

Shaking the surprised expression from his face, the raven-haired boy stood up (desperately ignoring the ache in his back) and stared him down. "You're one to talk," his voice was mildly sore, most likely from the yelp he had given during his fall.

"Thank goodness he hasn't lost his ability to speak," the redhead responded without much real interest. He shrugged. "Guess that means he's ok." This seemed like the perfect diversion, so he began to take his leave, not wanting to have Kai get back on his case. Though, he could still feel striking blood-red eyes drilling into the back of his head as he gradually walked away.

"Don't think I'm through with you yet, Tala."

Batting his hand towards the blue-haired youth he just hummed his reply. "Um hm…"

Kai narrowed his eyes. "Um hm my ass." He muttered under his breath.

Since they weren't facing each other, Rei didn't try to hide his apparent smile. That is, until the half-breed pivoted and turned his attention on the boy. The happy expression immediately fled his face. "Uh…I suppose you'll be showing me out now?"

"At least you're a quick study."

Quite thankful that Kai hadn't grabbed his hand to lead him away this time, Rei followed no more than two steps behind him. All the while the wings in front of him captivated his gaze, sleek feathers barely bowing to the wind's ghastly howl. He wondered if they were soft and light, like a bird's. No, they probably weren't; they appeared rough and edgy like the half-breed himself. But still, maybe he was wrong. Perhaps he could touch one, just to confirm his guess.

'No! That's utterly stupid. Kai looks like someone who keeps to himself; I doubt he'd want me invading his space that much.' So, the question was, why was Rei's hand already reaching out? Half-lidded eyes gingerly blinked, filled with an inquisitive spark. His fingers extended, encouraged by the warmth the wings seemed to radiate, ever so slightly, slowly being drawn to a sole red quill…

"What do you think you're doing?"

"!" About a second too late, Rei's mind finally kicked into gear and realized that Kai had turned around a while ago and what he was now reaching for – and was less than a hair apart from – wasn't a crimson feather, but one of the red triangular marks on the half-breed's cheek. "U-Uhh!" With a stutter in his speech and his hand, the raven-haired boy quickly drew away, demanding his body to stay balanced as he nearly stumbled over the pebbles in his back path. "N-Nothing! I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't realize…I-I mean…" Much to his surprise and partial trepidation, Kai wasn't raging with anger as he suspected he would be; he was just standing there, a calculated expression on his face. "…I wasn't…paying attention…"

"…That's what I figured." He answered in a calm tone, turning to return to the road ahead of him. They weren't too far away.

'!' Mentally berating himself, Rei did his best to calm the pounding in his chest with deep, but silent, breaths and continue after Kai, with much more space between them of course. 'What in the world was I thinking! No…I wasn't thinking. What happened to me!' Making a good effort not to get too distracted by the train of thoughts reeling in his head, he came to a stop as soon as the other had waded into the lake and began opening the door to the other side. 'Stupid cliché…Curiosity killed the ca--'

"Rei."

Swiftly meeting the other's gaze, his peripheral vision caught the open passageway waiting for someone to step through it. "Yea…" he carefully stepped into the lake and dragged his legs across the water, a little annoyed at how it hindered his speed. Noting how Kai hadn't made any attempt to send him off, Rei paused when he was at the makeshift threshold and faced him. "…"

Raising a brow, the blue-haired boy urged the evident question in the other's mind. "Yes?"

"…" Barely shifting his vision to the prominent wings, the raven-haired boy shrugged the question out of his system. "So…half eagle?" If it sounded half as stupid as it did in his mind, he thought, than he shouldn't even stick around to hear the response. But growing up with a strict guardian had taught him that manners were very important.

Scarcely tilting his head, Kai didn't hesitate to correct him. "Phoenix."

A small but brilliant grin played on Rei's lips. "Even better." Deciding that he had probably surpassed his quota for self-humiliation that day, he hastily got out of the lake, and then darted into the forest. He had never been more grateful for the thick foliage than on that day…he tripped a few more times before he reached the town.

"Hn…" Kai made a quick scan before he closed the gate, and then, only when he was sure that he was alone, allowed a very brief smile break the reserved expression on his face.

**ooo**

"Well, I don't really believe what you say anymore, Kai." Tala rolled onto his stomach and began picking himself up. "Especially since your actions are so much louder and obvious." Of course he was referring to the way the other always pampered Rei whenever he came over, though he usually made himself scarce when that happened. "And I think it's wise for me to get out of here before any of those aforementioned actions occur now." He dusted himself off and gave Rei a wave. "Not that you mind." Seeing _that_ look in Kai's glowering crimson eyes, the redhead shot off into the woods again, he'd be safe there even if Rei did leave that moment.

The golden-eyed boy stifled his laugh and patted the half-breed's knee in a calming effort. "I thought that you didn't pay attention to what he said anymore either."

Turning his head away, Kai scoffed at the intonation. "I don't, but he doesn't need to say it all the same."

Rei smiled, this usually happened whenever Tala decided to leave before he did. Those were rare times. However, for some reason, he wanted to stay just a bit longer today. It wouldn't be that much since his friends would get worried, but still, another minute or two was better than nothing. Because right then, with Kai's arms loosely yet securely circling his waist and his comforting warmth driving away the chilling wind, Rei couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be. This is where he was really loved.

"Ugh-uh!" He squeezed his eyes shut as Kai suddenly tightened his hold, there was another earthquake, a strong one, and the epicenter wasn't too far from where they were. It quivered the earth, surely taking down a few trees and carving up the ground in its wake.

"D-Damn it." Kai felt the other boy shift, moving to his side so that they were closer together. Keeping one hand on the younger one's waist, his right hand glided up to Rei's head, his fingers getting lost in the silky strands.

None too soon, the shaking yielded. A couple birds cawed as they returned to their nests, if they were still there. This one had been rather large…rather violent…it wasn't a good sign. The blue-haired boy wouldn't admit it openly, but he was getting worried. This was the first time two quakes had happened in the same day. He didn't let Rei go, not yet. Often times there would be a little trembling left over.

"…I wasn't expecting another one." Rei mumbled.

"Me either." His eyes narrowed. "It must be him. My grandfather is getting stronger." He shook his head. "I wonder how many more Controlled he must gotten recently in order to have given him this much strength…"

"…Too many?" Biting back his want, the raven-haired boy struggled a bit to get out of Kai's cozy embrace.

"Rei?"

He hadn't stood up yet; he was just kneeling beside him. "I…don't think I should come for a while." His bright gaze locked on the mountain region beyond the vast forest. That's where the problem was. Kai had told him, that's where his grandfather was hiding, waiting. "It's getting too dangerous." A sigh escaped his lips. "Besides, you need to be concentrating on helping Tala get Bryan back. Then you can all plan on how to put an end to this."

Groaning, Kai backed off the tree trunk. "Rei…"

"And you have to admit, I do not help you concentrate." He added with a humorous flare.

"Not unless I'm concentrating on you." Came the counter.

Rei laughed, a little worried that the other was still advancing on him. "Very clever, but very corny." The half-breed was now right next to him, a glint in his eyes. "Everything aside, it's getting late. I should go before—ahh!"

Most unlike him, Kai had sloppily pushed the boy over, keeping on his elbows so as not to put too much pressure on him. "Before what?" One hand brushed dark locks to the side, uncovering pleading, golden eyes.

"Kai, please--"

"Begging already? I've barely done anything, Rei." Leaning down, he planted a soft kiss on the boy's cheek, and then proceeded to his sensitive neck…

Fighting back the laugh in his throat, Rei turned his head, which was a losing strategy if he had really wanted the other to stop. "Kai. Kai! Come on! I have to go before the others worry about where I am! They'll get scared that I've been gone for so long!" He probably wasn't being taken too seriously since there was too much mirth laced in his words.

However, for whatever reason, the blue-haired boy paused, pulling up slightly so that they could see each other. "…"

A bit frustrated at the loss of touch, Rei almost pouted. "Eh?" But seeing the solemn expression on the half-breed's face put an end to that. "Kai?"

Sighing, he bent down again, placing a gentle kiss near the boy's ear. "Tala's right, he hasn't seen you in a long time." He brushed up against the Rei's face. "And neither have I."

Rei closed his eyes. "It's…harder to come. Max and Tyson follow me more when I leave the house." A chuckle. "They're like my lapdogs. But more than that…I'm like a big brother to them. They're dependent on me…and it makes them worry when I disappear without notice or explanation and don't return for hours." He leaned towards Kai. "It's not that I don't want to come you know…"

Nodding, the blue-haired boy sat up. "Yea, I know." Rei followed soon after, as much as he could manage since the older boy was straddling him. "I'm dependent on you, too you know." He reached out, cupping the other's chin. "Sometimes it seems like you choose to forget that."

Tilting his head down, the younger boy. "I'd never forget. I need you, too."

"Then stay." He moved forward, pausing momentarily before lightly pressing against Rei's lips. No response. It stung.

"Kai…" Came the weak reply.

Backing away, Kai accepted it. Rei wanted to go and he wouldn't stop him. "Fine." A few of their other encounters ended like this. However, Rei would always return promptly the next day with a warm smile. He imagined that wouldn't be the case now.

A thoughtful appearance washed over the younger boy's face as he noted how understanding Kai was being. It wasn't like him. Then again, he was sure that Kai wasn't like himself a lot whenever he was around…Tala could vouch for that. Glancing over his shoulder he saw how much the light from the sun had decreased and considered his return home. He didn't like going through the forest in the dark. Sighing, Rei made up his mind. Lifting his hand, he pulled off his hair tie, and then let it slide down to his wrist. Combing with his hand until it was acceptable, he turned to Kai and smiled. Leaning towards the other, he wrapped his arms around his neck, making himself comfortable. "?" Not that it bothered him…but… "Rei?"

He trailed a few wet butterfly nips along the blue-haired boy's neck before answering. "I don't like traveling at night. As for my hair tie…I thought it would get in the way…later…"

Kai absolutely loved it when he would oh so innocently slip in that connotation for him. "Later? I thought you were leaving." He allowed himself to be pushed down. It didn't hurt to let Rei be dominant…for a while. It was easier to undo the sash around his waist in this position anyway.

"I was going to, but I figured that Max and Tyson could always find something to do together…but you couldn't." Another kiss. "You'd be alone." Raising his head, he let one of his hands wander through Kai's velvety hair.

"Reasonable logic." Ah, he had gotten the sash off. Now he could access the smooth, warm skin…could run his hands along the curves that, he always thought, were foolishly covered by such baggy clothing. "Can I assume you have something planned for us to do? If you don't, I could always think of _something_…" If it weren't for his improper tone and the hand that was now grazing the hot flesh under the hem of his pants…no, from every angle that idea sounded very inappropriate.

"Heh…something? I shudder at the thought." Though, he wasn't fighting very hard against the blatant advances.

"Shudder all you want, as long as it isn't from the cold." There were no more words after that when Kai leaned up to capture Rei's inviting lips. Then again, words weren't needed, but there was a collection of sounds…

**ooo**

_"Aah…" the figure shifted once again, a violent gasp getting caught in his throat before he finally opened his eyes. He was finally awake. "…" The person sat up quickly, glancing around only to find that he was where he had always been…in his room. _

_The sheets before him were twisted and tossed every which way, leading him to believe that the dream he had had must have been brutal. Never before had he had such a rough night. _

A loss of breath – A stolen kiss

_Bringing his hand to his forehead, the figure groaned. Vivid images, sharp memories flashed through his mind. _

Reassuring whispers – Building pressure

_He gave his head a good shake, as if trying to knock the remnants of the latter part of his dream out of his head. _

…Please…

_It wasn't working. _

…Aah…Kai!

_"Damn it!" Kai shot out of bed, forgetting about the sheets he had dragged with him in the process. Nearly throwing the door to the terrace aside, he stormed outside and leaned against the rail. His breaths were rapid, short, but soon he had managed to calm himself down. "Breath in through the nose and out the mouth…" he told himself, doing whatever he could to get those…images out of his mind. He couldn't even imagine (not that he wanted to) how thoughts like _that_ could ever manifest into a dream in _his_ head. _

_"Stupid dream…" he gripped the bar tightly, getting a hold of himself as he straightened up and looked out into town. The sun was barely up, it's rays not even long enough to reach the streets. However, they did touch upon the Umber Woods, casting a golden tint over its canopy._

_'…Rei…' he felt a smirk on his lips, a curt laugh followed. The more he thought about it, the more ludicrous it sounded. After all how could he ever be with Rei? That was the making of a real illusion. _

_"Master Kai?" Dranzer had apparently woken up shortly after Kai. She flew to his shoulder, giving him a good morning peck. _

_He responded by patting her talons affectionately. Hm…what an imagination he had, to have created such a setting…such a façade…He walked back inside, ready to deal with the trying task of fixing his sheets. Thin one first, then another, and then the comforter…Dranzer watched from her perch, giving herself a light preening. It was a success; the task had driven the unmentionable thoughts out of his mind. He'd never think about those again so it was best if they were forgotten. Whistling to Dranzer, he and the phoenix left the room and all odds and ends of the happenings behind. It was a pointless dream really, just a waste of energy…_

_…Still…he was the one who had the dream. It was his illusion to keep._

1. I'm using my writer's license here…red just works a bit better than blue in this case.  
2. Blitzkrieg: A war tactic, which consists of quick attacks and quick retreats, repeated as necessary.

SS – Like I said, this is just because all of you readers are so wonderful and deserve something to nibble on while I slowly press on with the story. I have already considered what would happen if I made this into a full-length fiction, and believe me, it wouldn't work out too well. Please don't ask me to turn it into such. There are a few holes (certain scenes and explanations) in this piece though, simply because including all the details would make it too long. So if enough people want me to, I could make a second chapter to fill in those parts. But that's all it will become at most.

My updates with LL shouldn't be so sparse from now on since school's out for me, just don't expect one every week or anything. Thanks for being so patient with me! See you next update! Ashes.

**Also** giving a big thank you to Tym for submitting this while I'm on my trip. _:hug:_ Yes, I know how much trouble it is with the new format, good luck.

**ooo** Tym - Submitter's privilege, I get to add in the _very_ last word. As SSG mentioned, yes it was hard to submit because I didn't know the new format, had to fix up some mistakes in the preview, and my slow computer made it all the harder. But still, I hope she'll consider this part of my BIRTHDAY PRESENT to her. That's right, as SSG has neglected to tell everyone, her birthday (July 2nd) passed while she was on her trip. She's one year away from being an adult, and she didn't even say anything. Be nice and drop a HBD message all right? 17 only comes around once. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed the story.


End file.
